Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Alasdair Morgan (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which information returns on cattle that are required from farmers by its Rural Affairs Department duplicate information returns which farmers already provide to the cattle movement scheme computer system at Workington.

Ross Finnie: Action to reduce repeat requests for cattle information has already been implemented and wherever possible requests for duplicate information are avoided when pre-printed information is supplied or is available. Further measures to eliminate the remaining requests for duplicate information, however, could not be introduced until the central computer system was extended to include details of all cattle in GB. As a result of a major data capture exercise last autumn the database is now over 98% complete. We are now considering how we can make more effective use of this data. This includes reducing the paper burden on farmers on a wider scale - further streamlining of subsidy claim procedures; electronic cattle registration and movement reporting, and eliminating the capture of some census information from farmers.

Agriculture

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of beef and sheep farmers in Kintyre will be worse off under the new less favoured area formula.

Ross Finnie: Estimates suggest that roughly two-thirds of beef and sheep claimants in Kintyre will receive lower LFA payments than last year and one-third will receive more. Under the safety net which I negotiated to ease the transition from headage to area-based support, all regular LFA claimants are guaranteed at least 90% of last year’s assistance this spring.

Asylum Seekers

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with colleges of education regarding provision and funding of English language courses for asylum seekers.

Ms Wendy Alexander: No such direct discussions between the Executive and colleges have taken place.

Enterprise

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the projects which will benefit from the £2.3 million funding for the Highlands and Islands Enterprise Network announced in Press Release SE3266/2000, specifying how much of this funding each project will receive.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: On 19 December 2000, I announced an additional allocation of £2.275 million to Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in respect of the current financial year. This money has now been made available to HIE as part of the Spring Budget Revision. The tables detail how these monies will be disbursed:

  


Total
  

Project
  



£25,000
  

To pilot additional flexibilities to the Scottish Executive’s 
  Training for Work programme.
  



£250,000
  

To deliver Information Communication Technology (ICT) qualifications 
  and skills, including the European Computer Driving Licence, 
  to unemployed and inactive clients in the Highlands & 
  Islands.
  



£2,000,000
  

For the provision of support in respect of the following 
  projects intended to improve regional imbalances.
  



  


Highlands & Islands Enterprise Area and Project Location
  

Total
  

Project
  



Western Isles Enterprise
  



General
  

£50,000
  

Oil Industry Training Scheme
  



General
  

£30,000
  

Call Centre Customer Care Training Scheme
  



General
  

£20,000
  

Retail Training Scheme
  



Scalpay
  

£610,000
  

Continued development of new factory 
  



Drinishader
  

£50,000
  

Pier/Jetty project
  



Flodabay
  

£30,000
  

Pier/Jetty project
  



Marvaig
  

£50,000
  

Pier/Jetty project 
  



Miavig
  

£70,000
  

Pier/Jetty project
  



Ness
  

£200,000
  

Office development
  



Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise
  



Wick
  

£300,000
  

Industrial Site Infrastructure Servicing
  



Golspie
  

£100,000
  

Industrial Site Infrastructure Servicing
  



Lochaber
  



Ardnamurchan
  

£30,000
  

Initiative at the Edge/Iomairt aig an Oir community projects 
  



Rum
  

£10,000
  

Sliphead
  



Knoydart
  

£10,000
  

Knoydart Forest
  



Ross and Cromarty Enterprise
  



Alness Point
  

£400,000
  

Office development
  



Highlands and Islands Enterprise
  



Core funded 
  

£140,000
  

BARMAC: Redundant Oil Industry Workers Training and Upskilling. 
  



  Expenditure on these projects in excess of the allocated £2 million will be met by Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Hepatitis

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2729 by Susan Deacon on 11 January 2001, how much of the additional resources are earmarked for the prevention of hepatitis C and which organisations will receive such funding.

Malcolm Chisholm: The additional funding, totalling £7 million, will be allocated to health boards over the next four years. It will be for each health board to consider how best the new resources should be used, taking account of local needs.

Hepatitis

Ms Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scots would require to be known to be carrying the hepatitis C virus before the situation would be considered a serious threat to public health.

Malcolm Chisholm: As Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change indicates, the Scottish Executive already takes seriously the threat to public health posed by hepatitis C. The plan said that we will put more resources into tackling modern epidemics like HIV and hepatitis C and, as has already been announced, an additional £7 million is being made available over the next four years to health boards for this purpose.

Housing

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new, affordable houses for (a) rent and (b) purchase have been constructed with assistance from Scottish Homes in each local authority area since 1996.

Ms Margaret Curran: The number of new, affordable houses for rent and purchase that have been constructed with assistance from Scottish Homes in each local authority area from April 1996 to March 2000 is as follows:

  


Local Authority
  

Rent
  

Ownership
  

Total
  



Aberdeenshire
  

437
  

316
  

753
  



Angus
  

453
  

81
  

534
  



Argyll & Bute
  

386
  

128
  

514
  



City of Aberdeen
  

588
  

348
  

936
  



City of Dundee
  

448
  

288
  

736
  



City of Edinburgh
  

1,747
  

763
  

2,510
  



City of Glasgow
  

3,452
  

3,021
  

6,473
  



Clackmannanshire
  

78
  

57
  

135
  



Dumfries & Galloway
  

235
  

161
  

396
  



East Ayrshire
  

159
  

166
  

325
  



East Dunbartonshire
  

109
  

24
  

133
  



East Lothian
  

184
  

12
  

196
  



East Renfrewshire
  

241
  

241
  

482
  



Falkirk
  

260
  

268
  

528
  



Fife
  

929
  

410
  

1,339
  



Highland
  

401
  

278
  

679
  



Inverclyde
  

453
  

143
  

596
  



Midlothian
  

92
  

67
  

159
  



Moray
  

130
  

60
  

190
  



North Ayrshire
  

247
  

103
  

350
  



North Lanarkshire
  

760
  

844
  

1,604
  



Orkney Islands
  

93
  

90
  

183
  



Perth & Kinross
  

738
  

225
  

963
  



Renfrewshire
  

644
  

95
  

739
  



Shetland Islands
  

66
  

62
  

128
  



South Ayrshire
  

216
  

68
  

284
  



South Lanarkshire
  

365
  

403
  

768
  



Stirling
  

193
  

226
  

419
  



The Scottish Borders
  

302
  

148
  

450
  



West Dunbartonshire
  

481
  

219
  

700
  



West Lothian
  

347
  

199
  

546
  



Western Isles
  

67
  

12
  

79
  



Total
  

15,301
  

9,526
  

24,827

Housing

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding Scottish Homes has made available for the construction of new, affordable rural houses for (a) rent and (b) purchase in each year since 1994.

Ms Margaret Curran: The information requested is set out in the following table. The funding includes the support provided both for construction and improvement of houses:

  


Year
  

Rent
  

Ownership
  

Total
  



(£ million)
  



1994-95
  

42.669
  

13.485
  

56.154
  



1995-96
  

49.990
  

15.910
  

65.900
  



1996-97
  

39.310
  

14.999
  

54.309
  



1997-98
  

30.465
  

8.855
  

39.320
  



1998-99
  

27.386
  

8.540
  

35.926
  



1999-2000
  

34.598
  

6.783
  

41.381
  



Total
  

224.418
  

68.572
  

292.990

Information Technology

Mr Duncan Hamilton (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many homes are connected to the world wide web, broken down (a) by local authority area and (b) enterprise area.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Figures are not currently available on how many homes are connected to the world wide web by local authority area or by enterprise area. Survey work conducted between April 1999 and March 2000 by the Office for National Statistics suggest that across Scotland as a whole 14% of households were connected to the web. In surveys conducted in Scotland by ONS between April 2000 and September 2000 this had risen to 19%.

  Figures from the 1999 Scottish Household Survey on the percentage of households with access to e-mail or the Internet from home are available only for local authority groupings and are shown in the table. However, given the rapid growth of household access to the web noted above, the 1999 figures are likely to significantly understate the percentage of households now connected to the web in local authority area.

  Scottish Household Survey figures 1999 also show that 19% of households in remote rural and 20% of households in accessible rural areas are connected to the web, in comparison to 15% of urban households in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee and 12% in urban areas with a population of more than 10,000. Figures for each local authority area will be published in the Scottish Household Survey in late summer 2001.

  


Local Authority area(s)*
  

Percentage of households with access to 
  email or the internet from home
  



Edinburgh
  

20
  



Glasgow
  

11
  



Fife
  

14
  



North Lanarkshire
  

9
  



South Lanarkshire
  

13
  



Highlands and Islands (Argyll and Bute, Eilean Siar, Highland, 
  Moray, Orkney and Shetland)
  

15
  



Grampian (City of Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire)
  

19
  



Tayside (Angus, Dundee City, Perth, Kinross)
  

14
  



Central (Clackmannanshire, Falkirk and Stirling)
  

14
  



Dunbartonshire (West Dunbartonshire, East Dunbartonshire)
  

16
  



Renfrewshire and Inverclyde (East Renfrewshire, Renfrewshire, 
  Inverclyde)
  

14
  



Ayrshire (South Ayrshire, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire 
  inc. Arran)
  

12
  



Lothians (West Lothian, East Lothian, Midlothian)
  

18
  



Borders (Borders, Dumfries and Galloway)
  

12
  



Scotland
  

14
  



  * Local authorities with over 750 households interviewed in 1999 are shown separately - the others are grouped with neighbouring authorities.

Knowledge Economy Task Force

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in implementing the recommendations of the Knowledge Economy Task Force.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The conclusions of the Knowledge Economy Task Force will be reflected in the Scottish Executive report on the cross-cutting initiative on the knowledge economy which will be published shortly.

Learndirect Scotland

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether small- and medium-sized enterprises have sufficient representation on the board of learndirect Scotland.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Christine Lenihan, Chairman of Scottish UfI Ltd (learndirect scotland is the brand name for SUfI’s services), is currently the Marketing Director of a small company and previously owned and managed her own small business. A number of the other SUfI board members have previous experience of running or working with small businesses.

NHS Pay

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the disparity in the starting salaries paid to graduate nurses and honours graduates in biomedical science starting work in NHS laboratories and whether it has any plans to reduce this disparity.

Susan Deacon: Salaries for nurses and biomedical scientists are determined through separate machinery. As indicated in the reply to question S1W-12660, the Scottish Executive is committed to addressing the pay of all NHS staff, including laboratory staff in the context of the agenda for pay modernisation. As stated in the reply to question S1W-12661, following significant increases last year, the recent offer made to non-Pay Review Body staff would result in an increase of up to 16.7% for qualified MLSOs.

Nursing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to attract nurses back to work after they become parents.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is keen to encourage former nurses back to work. Our National Health, A plan for action, a plan for change requires all NHS employers to meet or exceed best practice guidance on family friendly policies as part of the new Staff Governance Standard. To help employers, I launched guidance on family friendly policies on 26 January. These policies include guidance on flexible working, childcare, breastfeeding and career breaks. The guidance applies to all NHS Scotland staff.

Nursing

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many health boards offer crèche facilities for nursing staff.

Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally. You will wish to know that the family friendly policies guidance I launched on 26 January contains guidance on the options available for childcare which health boards and NHS Trusts are expected to follow.

Nursing

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time taken to fill an NHS nursing vacancy is in each health board area.

Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-12271 on 25 January 2001.

Planning

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how local authorities can safeguard land for longer term transport infrastructure possibilities, as stated in paragraph 18 of National Planning Policy Guideline 1, when routes can only be safeguarded in planning terms through local plans and only for the five-year lifetime of the plan.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Strategic   transport safeguarding should be addressed in structure plans which are expected to have a time horizon of at least 10 years. Any local plans prepared during the currency of a structure plan would have to conform with it. There is no reason why development plan policies or allocations of land cannot be carried forward into new plans, thus allowing land to be safeguarded for as long as necessary.

Planning

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5463 by Sarah Boyack on 4 April 2000, what the outcome was in relation to each planning application, notice of intention to develop, listed building consent application and scheduled monument consent application listed and whether it will list, for each category, all applications called in since 21 March 2000, specifying in each case what decision has been reached or, if no decision has been reached, what stage the application is at.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Updated information relating to the answer to question S1W-5463 is as follows:

  


PLANNING APPLICATIONS
  



(a) Awaiting public local inquiry
  



Argyll & Bute
  

Housing and country park at Kilmahew Estate, Cardross
  

Refused
  



East Ayrshire
  

Conversion of castle to hotel and leisure facilities at 
  Rowallan Castle, Kilmaurs
  

PLI held Decision awaited
  



East Ayrshire
  

Motorway Service Area at Kingswell, Fenwick (inquiry sisted 
  at request of developer)
  

Withdrawn
  



East Ayrshire
  

Motorway Service Area at Harelaw, Fenwick (inquiry sisted 
  at request of developer)
  

PLI awaited
  



Highland
  

House at Achnaluin, Morar
  

Refused
  



Inverclyde
  

Retail, leisure, residential etc at former East Glen and 
  Scott Lithgow Yards, Port Glasgow
  

Approved
  



Midlothian
  

Biotechnology Park at Gowkley Moss Farm, Milton Bridge, 
  Penicuik
  

Approved
  



Midlothian
  

House at Woodcot, Gowkley Moss, Milton Bridge, Penicuik
  

Refused
  



North Lanarkshire
  

Residential development at Mount Ellen Golf Club, Gartcosh
  

Refused
  



North Lanarkshire
  

Residential development at Torrance Park, Motherwell
  

Refused
  



Perth & Kinross
  

Camping and caravanning development at Balado, Kinross
  

No PLI as yet at request of applicant
  



South Ayrshire
  

Supermarket, filling station, restaurant etc at Bridgefield, 
  Girvan
  

Withdrawn
  



South Ayrshire
  

Football stadium (Ayr United) and retail development at 
  Ayr
  

Intention to approve stadium.–Retail element refused
  



South Lanarkshire
  

Tennis and fitness centre and associated sports facilities 
  at Jackton (Inquiry sisted - possible withdrawal)
  

Withdrawn
  



West Lothian
  

Extension to Freeport factory outlet centre at Westwood, 
  West Calder
  

PLI being arranged
  



(b) Public local inquiry complete and awaiting decision
  



Aberdeen
  

Industrial development at Peterseat and Altens Farms, Aberdeen
  

Approved
  



Argyll & Bute
  

Information centre at Clachan, Cairndow
  

Refused
  



Edinburgh
  

Extension of shopping centre (2 applications) at Gyle, 
  Edinburgh
  

Approved
  



Edinburgh
  

Underground shopping mall at Princes Street, Edinburgh
  

Refused
  



Glasgow
  

Housing development at former St Augustines Secondary School, 
  Glasgow
  

Approved
  



Western Isles
  

Proposed superquarry at Lingerbay, Isle of Harris
  

Refused
  



  


NOTICES OF INTENTION TO DEVELOP
  



(a) Awaiting public local inquiry
  



None
  
 
 



(b) Public local inquiry complete and awaiting decision
  



East Dunbartonshire
  

Travelling people site at Milngavie
  

Intention to approve
  



North Ayrshire
  

Landfill site at Bogside, Irvine
  

Approved
  



  


LISTED BUILDING CONSENT APPLICATIONS
  



(a) Awaiting public local inquiry
  



Glasgow
  

105-107 West Regent Street, Glasgow (Category A Building)
  

No decision as yet (case subject to judicial review)
  



(b) Public local inquiry complete and awaiting decision
  



Moray
  

The Park, The Wyndies, Garmouth (Category C(S) Building) 
  (report not yet completed)
  

Refused
  



  


SCHEDULED MONUMENT CONSENT APPLICATIONS
  



(a) Awaiting public local inquiry
  



Falkirk
  

Industrial units at Lochlands, Nr. Falkirk (impact on Roman 
  camps)
  

No PLI as yet at request of applicant
  



Highland
  

Reconstruction of Castle Tioram, Moidart
  

No PLI as yet at request of applicant
  



(b) Public local inquiry complete and awaiting decision
  



None
  
 
 



  Information relating to cases called in since 21 March 2000.

  


PLANNING APPLICATIONS
  



Aberdeen City
  

Retail development at Kepplestone
  

PLI awaited
  



Argyll & Bute
  

Redevelopment of Port Askaig Pier, Islay
  

PLI awaited
  



City of Edinburgh
  

Offices, hotel etc at Edinburgh Park
  

PLI held Report awaited
  



East Lothian
  

Conversion of maltings building to form flats at Mill Wynd, 
  Haddington
  

PLI arranged
  



Falkirk
  

Poolhall/Internet Café at Bo’ness (Conjoined PLI 
  with case below)
  

PLI held Report awaited
  



Falkirk
  

Housing at North Street, Bo’ness (Conjoined PLI with case 
  above)
  

PLI held Report awaited
  



Highland
  

Erection of Patio at Drumnadrochit Hotel
  

Site inspection proposed
  



Highland
  

Extension to quarry at Drumuie, Portree, Skye
  

Site inspection proposed
  



Highland
  

Dwellinghouse at Latheron, Caithness
  

Site inspection proposed
  



Midlothian
  

Hotel, restaurant etc at Straiton
  

Withdrawn
  



Midlothian
  

Workshops at Danderhall
  

Site inspection awaited
  



Midlothian
  

Dwellinghouse at Howgate
  

Site inspection awaited
  



Midlothian
  

Hotel at Milton Bridge
  

Site inspection awaited
  



Midlothian 
  

Dwellinghouse at Rosewell
  

Site inspection awaited
  



Moray
  

House/garage at Wester Gauldwell Farm, Craigellachie, Aberlour
  

Refused
  



Moray
  

Mini farm and leisure trail at Knockandhu Farm, Craigellachie, 
  Aberlour
  

Site inspection awaited
  



North Lanarkshire
  

Residential development at Kilsyth
  

PLI held. Report awaited
  



North Lanarkshire
  

Residential development at Cumbernauld
  

PLI held Report received
  



North Lanarkshire
  

Hotel, restaurant, health club, car showroom, petrol station 
  etc at Auchenkilns, Cumbernauld
  

PLI awaited
  



Perth & Kinross
  

Factory outlet centre at Levenfields, Kinross
  

PLI awaited
  



Scottish Borders
  

New single dwellinghouse, 2 new dwellinghouses, and conversion 
  of mill to dwellinghouse at Hundalee Mill, Jedburgh (3 applications)
  

PLI held Report received
  



South Ayrshire
  

Waste transfer station and civic amenity area, Girvan
  

Withdrawn
  



West Lothian
  

Extensions to retail element; provision of offices; formation 
  of food unit; formation of golf driving range etc and erection 
  of garden centre at Freeport factory outlet centre, Westwood, 
  West Calder (5 applications)
  

PLI awaited
  



  


NOTICES OF INTENTION TO DEVELOP
  



None
  
 
 



  


LISTED BUILDING CONSENT APPLICATIONS
  



Aberdeenshire
  

41 Duff Street, MacDuff
  

Report received Decision awaited
  



Aberdeenshire
  

39 Victoria Street, Fraserburgh
  

Report awaited
  



Dundee
  

Beach Shelter, Esplanade, Broughty Ferry
  

Report to be requested
  



  


SCHEDULED MONUMENT CONSENT APPLICATIONS
  



None

Roads

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will announce the final outcome of the tendering exercise for the maintenance of trunk roads.

Sarah Boyack: I confirm the award today of contracts for the maintenance of trunk roads in Scotland from 1 April 2001.

  As provisionally indicated in my response to Des McNulty on 23 January 2001 (question S1W-12726), the successful bidders in the competitions held for the four Operating Company areas were BEAR Scotland Limited for the North East and North West Units and AMEY Highways Ltd for the South East and South West Units.

  The competition for these contracts, worth over £350 million over five years, and part of a record level of increased funding for transport in Scotland, was run in accordance with UK and EC law. The contracts have now been awarded, following the report of an independent review, by Halcrow in association with PricewaterhouseCooper, of the use of quantities in the tender assessment process. This report, published today, has demonstrated that the use of substitute quantities from the local authority consortia which submitted bids does not alter the identification of the winning bidder. This means that the bids from AMEY and BEAR Scotland Ltd represented the best value for money and the contracts have been awarded to these companies accordingly.

  The Scottish Executive’s objective is to ensure high standards in maintaining our trunk roads while securing best value for money for the taxpayer. The award of these contracts achieves that and offers a saving on existing costs of £75 million over five years.

  Savings have not been at the expense of quality. Those selected to tender all had a proven record in trunk road management and maintenance. In careful scrutiny all tenders met quality standards and only then were cash bids assessed. Stringent quality requirements in the contracts should lead to standards being above those in existing contracts.

  We consulted widely before inviting tenders and explained fully in advance how the tender process would work. It was conducted equitably, transparently and fairly. This has been confirmed by three Court of Session judgements and the independent audit.

  In the case of all four contracts, the winning bid, as previously announced (question S1W-12726), was substantially below the comparable cost of the current contract for the equivalent work even though qualifying standards had been set higher in the new contracts.

  I fully understand that this outcome will be disappointing to local authorities, but for all four contracts, the local authority contractor bid was above the comparable cost of the current arrangements for the equivalent work.

  In view of the wide public concern expressed on this point, I invited each of the bidders for the four contracts to allow the figures for their bids to be published. Each of the bidders for the North West contract has agreed to the making public of this information for their competition. For the other areas, not all bidders authorised publication.

  The following table, giving the information which the Executive is able to release, demonstrates very starkly the scale of the differences in the bids received.

  


£ million
Bid Values
  

Comparable
cost at historic
rates and prices
  

Comparable
costs from
best bids
  

Comparable
costs from
LA Consortium Bid
  



South East
  

68.7
  

52.4
  

1




South West
  

119.5
  

93.3
  

1




North East
  

76.0
  

65.7
  

2




North West
  

99.8
  

89.4
  

152.0
  



Total
  

364.0
  

300.7
  

461.8
  



Total including 17.5% VAT
  

427.7
  

353.3
  

542.6
  



One year cost 
(i.e. previous row divided by 5)
  

85.5
  

70.7
  

108.5
  



Savings accruing per annum (£ million)
  

14.9
  

-23.0
  



  Notes

  1. The local authority consortia bidding in these areas did not agree to the publication of figures.

  2. One of the private sector bidders in this area did not agree to the publication of figures.

  The tabulation shows the estimated cost for the work anticipated in each unit using:

  (a) derived rates and prices from existing contracts,

  (b) best tenders, and

  (c) the local authority consortium bids.

  Thus while the bids from the best (lowest) tenderers offer savings of £15 million per annum over present costs, those from the local authority consortia would have cost an additional £23 million.

  The difference between the local authority bids and those from the winning bidders was therefore approximately £38 million per annum, or £190 million over the five-year contract period.

  The new arrangements will involve a considerable reorganisation of the way maintenance services will be delivered across the trunk roads network. How this will impact on employment will depend on how new contractors operate. However, I expect the TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment)) Regulations to apply. The companies winning the contracts are fully aware of the importance of continuity of local experience and the need to achieve a seamless transfer of operations.

  The Executive has every confidence in the integrity and fairness of the tendering and assessment process. However, deeply held concerns have been expressed and I recognise that there is a desire for further reassurance that the matter has been properly handled. I have today therefore suggested that the Auditor General might be invited to undertake a complete review of the whole exercise from publication of the consultative document through to the award of the contracts. That should provide a totally independent assessment of the process. In the meantime, I am arranging for reports on the audit conducted by the Performance Audit Group to be lodged in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.

  Now that the contracts have been signed, I look to the successful tenderers to fulfil their obligations and press ahead with all speed to achieve a smooth transition from 1 April.

Town Improvement Zones

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2801 by Mr Alasdair Morrison on 18 January 2001, what steps it is taking to examine the Town Improvement Zone initiative operating in England and Wales and explore whether it could be applied in Scotland.

Peter Peacock: We are currently examining the viability of introducing Business Improvements Districts/Town Improvement Zones in Scotland. Informal consultation has already taken place with business representative organisations. The Scottish Valuation and Rating Council are also examining the issue and are expected to report on the matter shortly. We would consult with all interested parties before any implementation is considered.

  In addition, Scottish Enterprise are examining ways in which more sustainable funding for town centres could be provided.

Traffic

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12158 by Sarah Boyack on 16 January 2001, whether it will request a copy of the Rosyth traffic study and respond to it and, if so, over what timescale.

Sarah Boyack: I understand from Fife Council that this study is still in draft. Once finalised it will be forwarded and we will respond to it as soon as possible.

Transport

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6864 by Sarah Boyack on 30 May 2000, what the outcome was of the tendering exercise in relation to the contract for UK trials of electronic tolling technology; what part of the cost of the contract was to be met from the Scottish Block, and whether proposals on the sharing of costs have been altered in the light of its decision not to proceed with electronic tolling trials at Hermiston Gait, Edinburgh.

Sarah Boyack: I understand that the tendering for the UK electronic tolling trials, which is a matter for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, is expected to be completed later this year. The Executive inherited an agreement made in 1998 to participate in the trials and to contribute a maximum of £5 million towards the costs. Following our withdrawal we will not be contributing to the costs.

Water Authorities

Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there have been any changes to external finance limits set for each water authority this year and what budgets it proposes to allocate each water authority in the next financial year.

Mr Sam Galbraith: 1. The External Finance Limits (EFL) have been revised for the current financial year. These are:

  


£ million
  


 

Original EFL1


Revised EFL
  



East of Scotland Water
  

66
  

74
  



West of Scotland Water 
  

80.954
  

86.954
  



North of Scotland Water
  

55
  

55
  



  Notes:

  1. Figures published in Investing in You.

  Extra EFL has been given to enable the water authorities to maintain current levels of investment. This investment is essential to ensure progress is made to meet the standards set by public health and environment protection water quality laws.

  2. Resources for 2001-02 have yet to be approved by Parliament. The figures given are consistent with those shown in the Budget Bill which was laid on 19 January 2001.

  

 

£ million
  


 

Resource Budget (profit)
  

Capital Budget
(capital expenditure)
  

Net cash requirement
(borrowing)
  



East of Scotland Water
  

-42.2
  

126
  

76.8
  



West of Scotland Water
  

-85.6
  

192
  

91
  



North of Scotland Water
  

-31.4
  

143.5
  

88.5
  



Cost of Capital
  

131
  
 
 



TOTAL
  

-28.2
  

461.5
  

256.3
  



  For purposes of comparison, the "net cash requirement" of £256.3 million for 2001-02 is equivalent to the total EFLs for 2000-01 of £216 million. This level of borrowing in 2001-02 is not a public expenditure control, but simply the borrowing resulting from the figures set for profit and capital expenditure.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Presiding Officer,  further to his answer to question S1W-10473 on 6 November 2000, what the basis is in law, in procurement guidance or in the Parliament’s procedures for his response that information about the total value of any works package contract entered into by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body in relation to the Holyrood Project would only be divulged with the consent of the relevant contractor.

Sir David Steel: My answer to question S1W-9469 set out the basis for the Parliament’s position in relation to commercial confidentiality. The Parliament’s tenders are issued and received on a commercially confidential basis, respected by both client and contractor, and the legitimate commercial interests of contractors might be prejudiced by unilateral disclosure of contract information by the Parliament. The Holyrood Progress Group therefore intends for contractors to be consulted, and for agreement to be reached, before individual contract details are released.